I've recalled on an old BBS forum that had a good topic about when the '80s jumped the shark about 10 years or so ago. Now it's the '90s turn, and I'm wondering for those who experienced that decade when you feel the '90s "jumped the shark". Of course you can always say "day one", being that I'm more of a '80s/'70s person, but more and more people have grown to accept the '90s.

Personally, I'd say toward the end of 1996 when Spice Girls became big and opened the door for the Teen Pop movement, when Power Rangers was starting to lose a little popularity. Sega was also waning in popularity as well. Also, the quality of Nick Shows in '97 weren't quite as good as those in '96 or earlier. However, I feel that the real "downer" changes were still in the offing. I'd say that was actually the moment where we simply "spotted a shark's fin".

But late 1998 is a much better choice. The dot-com bubble began to inflate at a too rapid pace instead of a steady rate it had most of the '90s leaving a notice that an economic downturn would soon be in the offing. Also, by then, the Internet's influence was essential for the future and not just a novelty, cellphones really exploded in popularity, meaning that the human element was rapidly weaking by this time and the fun, organic, "Happy" feel was on the wane. Seinfeld was off the air, Classic Nick was pretty much over, Britney Spears came on the scene de-glamorizing good pop music, and the Simpsons was starting to lose a little popularity by then. And finally, the Y2K bug really brought on paranoia that's overrated, and the rise of 24-hour news with more Internet outlets/cable channels really made the world a 24/7 society. That's when the '90s TRULY jumped the shark.

Being born in 1988, I remember most of the 90s and I felt like the early part of the decade was better. But it might just be me - I also find the early-to-mid 80s and the early-to-mid 00s better than the later parts of those decades. But then again, in my area the early 90s were like a toned-down version of the 80s. ;)
The early 90s for my personal life were better - I hated the post-1995 90s when I started school. They were full of crap - Spice Girls, teen pop, later Britney and the likes. However, Dexter's Lab was not a bad cartoon.

I think the 90s jumped the shark in the 1995-1997 time frame when they became too saturated. For me the early 90s were a lot simpler time, it might be an age thing, I don't know.

Around 1998, when the teen pop became big.

When you ask when something 'jumped the shark', you're pretty much asking when that something started to suck!

I'd say the 90s started sucking in 1999. Because by then it sure as hell didn't feel like the 90s anymore and teen pop's domination made it suck.

In my opinion, around 1996 at the earliest when Wannbe by The Spice Girls came out, I thought that song was so cheesy back then, it was a glimpse at things to come. The Macarena also exploded in popularity that year although overall it was still the alternative/gangsta rap '90s.

I don't agree with all of these, but doesn't every decade supposedly "jump the shark" towards the end, and early part of the next?

Late 70's/Early 80's: Disco
Late 80's/Early 90's: Hair Metal clones/New Kids on the Block/Mc Hammer/Vanilla Ice
Late 90's/Early '00's: Boybands/The Spice Girls/Britney Spears/Ricky Martin/NuMetal
Late '00's/Early '10s: Electropop/Katy Perry/Lady Gaga/Justin Bieber/Ke$ha

I don't agree with all of these, but doesn't every decade supposedly "jump the shark" towards the end, and early part of the next?

Late 70's/Early 80's: Disco
Late 80's/Early 90's: Hair Metal clones/New Kids on the Block/Mc Hammer/Vanilla Ice
Late 90's/Early '00's: Boybands/The Spice Girls/Britney Spears/Ricky Martin/NuMetal
Late '00's/Early '10s: Electropop/Katy Perry/Lady Gaga/Justin Bieber/Ke$ha



Very true, it's all just a continuous cycle. Usually the late part of a decade is seen as inferior, except in the case of '60s.

1999 didn't suck, really though I don't think the '90s jumped the shark even if certain people do. Personally I'm more fond of 1999 than 1990  :-X, though I think 1993 was probably the best year of the decade.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIDWgqDBNXA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyfLER3Z0-Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKw5mBh4rYs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3JFwd1bk4Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cqU1pFRqYE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL7-CKirWZE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE6Qcc6VDo8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YcNzHOBmk8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXp413NynFk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiF6-0UTqtc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGObF2q63Ew

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lO5eGEnyRA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfkF977UhRo

yeah boy bands were cheesy, but I still like this song  :P
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fndeDfaWCg

yeah I liked Britney..hides in shame...well not really why be ashamed of anything.  ::)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-u5WLJ9Yk4

For me, except in terms of music, the mid 90s were probably the most boring time in anything with an exception of a few movies.  The first few years of the 90s had the luxury of the 80s zeitgeist and the late 90s had a bunch of good movies, shows, music, and fashion.  The mid 90s were very plain imo.

Looking back, I think up until around 1995, the 90's were mostly 90's, in terms of music, and the whole attitude/spirit of the decade, but there were a decent amount of hairstyles and clothes that were stuck in the 80's. Especially, if you watch old tv shows and talkshows from back then. Around 1995 is when the hair and clothes really started getting fully 90's.

Being a teenager in the early part of the 90s and being a young adult in the mid to late 90s, when it comes to music, it never jump the shark.

I'd say the end of 1997 throughout 1998.

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQOCI_8QP4FXomrItnZHAy2D-EoHjg4Hxj1A_fd_aHDPfqPLwcHtA

The 90s, jumped the shark? Never!  ;D

October 1998 to 2001. 

I agree with everyone saying late 90's.I think when teen pop became huge that was the end of the true 90's and the beginning of the millenial era.

I've recently started an internet station with old danceable music (the oldest tracks are from the late 80s), and it's meant to be carefree, casual and innocent. Because of that, I draw the line late 1996.

I don't want to say (danceable) music released after 1996 is automatically bad or depressing, but there are important differences for sure. Less carefree... less spontaneous... don't know how to describe it. I guess there was an increasement of professionalism. I noticed, because of that, most populair dance tracks released after 1996 werd hard to combine with the older ones. Felt like the beginning of a new era.

I was already doubting about a lot of the 1996 tracks, was extra selective when it comes to the tracks released that year.

I'd say Dec 31 11:59:59pm because it was all going away. I'd probably feel different if I was born in say 85 to have a had a better experience. To me nothing will be as good as the 90's despite all we have now. It seemed like simple times technologically speaking. that's why I like playing San Andreas it takes place in 92. THere's too much going on nowadays.

somewhere in 98

i think when britney spears and nu-metal were popular so 98,99

In 1997, before Spice girls & Britney were still unheard of.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fA9mu7ypnec/TitKLH1jYBI/AAAAAAAACjc/fbjpOAzLFC8/s1600/DSCN3840.JPG

Personally, I'd say toward the end of 1996 when Spice Girls became big and opened the door for the Teen Pop movement, when Power Rangers was starting to lose a little popularity. Sega was also waning in popularity as well. Also, the quality of Nick Shows in '97 weren't quite as good as those in '96 or earlier. However, I feel that the real "downer" changes were still in the offing. I'd say that was actually the moment where we simply "spotted a shark's fin".

But late 1998 is a much better choice. The dot-com bubble began to inflate at a too rapid pace instead of a steady rate it had most of the '90s leaving a notice that an economic downturn would soon be in the offing. Also, by then, the Internet's influence was essential for the future and not just a novelty, cellphones really exploded in popularity, meaning that the human element was rapidly weaking by this time and the fun, organic, "Happy" feel was on the wane. Seinfeld was off the air, Classic Nick was pretty much over, Britney Spears came on the scene de-glamorizing good pop music, and the Simpsons was starting to lose a little popularity by then. And finally, the Y2K bug really brought on paranoia that's overrated, and the rise of 24-hour news with more Internet outlets/cable channels really made the world a 24/7 society. That's when the '90s TRULY jumped the shark.

I agree 100%. I was thinking, even though the 80s have always been the closest to my heart, I still love alot of 90s things as well, but its just tarnished by all the teenpop crap at the very end of the decade (what's worse is that lame watered-down part is all that alot of people seem to remember or like anymore).

I think it went in stages towards the end of the decade actually. You could make a case for a few different years.

1995 - There was still a twinge of 80s influence around as late as 1994 or early '95 if you count Full House, or just that was the last year that was almost totally pre-internet (I'm talking in the mainstream). But I remember '95 distinctly being the first year where rap started getting more popular than rock. Even as a 13-14 year old kid, I'd already grown up with rock or at least the really melodic pop music, so I didn't like that change and never related to the whole urban rap culture.

1997 - Like you said with the internet and the early teenpop explosion.

But truly I'd only count 1999. Even in '97 and 98 there were alot of retro things and TV shows were still amazing (Seinfeld was still around). But that year had so many lame things that paved the way for the garbage pop culture we have now. It wasn't only the pop culture, it just seemed to be an attitude shift to more immature things becoming cool. The early to mid 90s were more serious and laid back.

So basically, if the 90s ended only a year earlier, they'd be as wonderful to me as the 80s in many respects. Of course the 90s as a whole didn't feel entirely gone until about 2006 with social networking, and tons of shopping centers and sports arenas getting modern remodels all over the place, but the genuine pop culture jumped the shark in '99 no doubt. :)